Casey Anthony Prosecutor

Solicits Campaign Donations

from Casey's Defense Lawyer!

4/1/2012 2:39 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Jeff Ashton, the guy who unsuccessfully prosecuted Casey Anthony for murder and is now running for Orange-Osceola State Attorney, recently sent a mass email to solicit donations ... and one of the recipients was Casey's lead attorney, Jose Baez.

The email, obtained by TMZ, cites Ashton's 30 years of experience ... but makes no mention of the Anthony trial.

Despite getting beat by Baez in court, Ashton trashed him in the press after the verdict -- calling him a liar, "smarmy" and a "consummate salesman."

Sources close to Baez tell TMZ he obviously will NOT be donating to Ashton's campaign.